Dynafit Mustagh Ata Superlight Reviewed

Update: Despite this being an old post, it still generates loads of traffic for those looking for a classic light ski mountaineering ski. While my opinion is that light is not always right, there are many newer options for lightweight skis (not to mention boots!) that are much better performing than the Mustagh Ata SL. To add some perspective, I regularly skied this ski with a pair of Garmont Megarides, which compared to more modern boots is not only heavy but also slipper soft.

For those seeking modern ski options, have a look at the TX and FX models from Kastle.

About touring/ski mountaineering skis:

Backcountry/ski mountaineering skis should do two things: help you climb uphill without too much extra effort, and get you downhill as comfortably as possible for the given snow conditions. Sounds simple enough, but my own web statistics (and internet trolling) seem to indicate that your average web-crawling skier spends more time scrutinizing over equipment than they do skiing or even reading about skiing. Fair enough, but I’d like to offer up some advice for the skier shopping for a new pair of touring skis. Despite thousands of boot/binding/ski options, there is absolutely no single ski that is going to satisfy your high expectations 100% of the time.

The maximizer in me refuses to believe that 100% satisfaction cannot be achieved, but my more reasonable self understands that touring skis are all about compromise.

For instance, let’s examine two common instances when those compromises are less than ideal.

Option 1: Your reverse camber 112+mm rockered powder beasts. These will be second to none as you slarve the deep stashes, but you’ll suffer (a little more than usual) on the way up and in the icy throws of a sun facing skin track you’ll be struggling to keep skins on snow with such a wide platform, ski crampons? not likely. We wish everyday were steep and deep heli-skiing quality pow, but you and I both know that the stars rarely align for those days.

Option 2: Your superlight, lightweight, carbon or any other ski option containing a featherweight superlative in it’s branding. You’ll cruise up the skin track demonstrating flawless kick-turns that only fresh legs or a skin suit regularly achieve. If the snow is all but the most uniform of corn or fresh ankle deep pow you will be cursing these chopsticks and wishing you suffered a little more on the up-track so that you could actually enjoy the down in the style your facebook persona would be proud to represent.

With Option 1 leaving you with an excuse for poor uphill performance, and Option 2 leaving you, well, with a downhill excuse. Surely there has to be some middle ground. For a review of a great middle ground, check out the Kastle FX 104 Review

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Update: Feb 2014

I’ve always had a kind of bipolar perspective on lightweight backcountry ski gear, but lately I’ve been slightly more even-keeled with regards to ski selection. The Crested Butte backcountry is an area that hosts many longish 100% human powered ski tours (Crested Butte Mountain Resort is very much a closed boundary ski area) often with long flat sections on either end of the terrain.

The Mustagh Ata SL in the Elk Mountains

In recent years my preference in backcountry skis has varied between featherweight SkiTrab models all the way up to the >10cm underfoot rockered modern-day behemoths. Both have their distinct advantages, but really Crested Butte is “quiver of one” terrain. Enter the Dynafit Mustagh Ata Superlight.

“The Mustagh Ata Superlight represents the next phase of development for the successful Mustagh Ata model. It is the lightest ski in its class. It is equipped with patented Dynafit Insert technology and sports a modern waist curve. Its 88 mm width at mid-ski and its balanced core structure provide maximum skiing pleasure under all snow conditions. The ski adds very little weight when climbing, making it great for long high mountain tours and expeditions”

Summary

I like to think of this ski as the little brother of the extremely popular Dynafit Manaslu only better suited to more vertical and lending themselves to shorter radius turns. Remember that this is a lightweight ski and will certainly have it’s limitations when compared to large wood core skis that seem to be dominating the market these days. In most conditions, I find the ski to be perfectly suited for consistency like many of the lighter weight skis out there. I appreciate that this ski is on the stiffer side, especially in the tail, and find it to be quite lively and maneuverable. When skiing breakable crust, this ski responds well to aggressive edge release: which is easily accomplished with the low swing weight and responsive feel.

Other skis in this category include K2’s Wayback (basically the Baker SL) or Black Diamond’s upcoming Aspect, which all have distinctly larger shovels.

Testing Notes

In the 25 days that I have skied the Mustagh Ata Superlights I’ve encountered backcountry snow that has ranged from glorious easy skiing powder to variable crust, crud and mank. Ascents with and without ski crampons. Conditions that I have yet to test: boilerplate ice and spring corn.

The Verdict

Pros: Leightweight, appropriate stiffer flex in tail, ski beautifully in soft snow. As with any light ski, will chatter some.

Cons: Lightweight skis are just not worth the weight savings.

The Mustagh Ata Superlight seems to be a perfect option for those looking for a do-all spring ski mountaineering ski. I’d recommend this ski for anyone looking for a lightweight setup for longer tours and/or spring conditions. Just remember, this lightweight mid-fat platform excels at shorter radius turns and won’t provide the crud busting prowess of a ski with more mass.

A ski with similar dimension, weight and much better performance in all snow conditions is the Kastle TX 87 . Kastle’s lightweight skis not only perform better in variable snow and firm conditions, but are also constructed of much higher quality materials. The difference in weight is negligible when compared to the much better performing ski in the Kastle’s.

I love this ski. I have the 187 version. I prefer it for doing medium sized turns. I also like it for short turns on icy sections…but all I think that e.g. the Volkl Snowwolf (184) is better for short turns. It does not have the speed limit that is typical for light skis. I switched to this from a combination of K2 Coomba (181) and Volkl Snowwolf (184), and could not be happier. I am 183cm,87kg. It is not at good as the coomba in pure deep powder, but I prefer it in all other aspects.

After skiing almost exclusively on the Dynafit Stoke http://www.mikebromberg.com/new-dynafit-stoke/ at the end of last season and all of this season, I had a chance to get back out on the Mustagh Ata superlights today. Overall, these felt really underwhelming as compared to the Stoke. I’d agree with my previous assessment that they are best in consistent snow.

This winter I have skied mostly on heavy alpine gear. To change back to the Mustagh Ata also underwhelms me as I now tend to overpower it and the boots (TLT5 Perfomance) – I have to get dialed in to enjoy the ski…espesically on harder snow. The biggest difference is the fore/aft movement I have to perform compared to when skiing alpine setups (Volkl Racetiger FIS SL, Salomon Xwing Enduro, Line Sir Francis Bacon). That said, I still think the mustagh ata is a great compromise for longer alpine tours – just have to ski it more, so that I stop overpowering it.

I totally hear what you are saying Christian. I’ve skies my Mustagh Ata SL only a few times this year, and haven’t thought nearly as highly of them.

I can’t seem to see much of a reason not to ski the Dynafit Stoke, the weight difference just is not enough to justify the inferior downhill performance. How are you liking the TLT5’s? Do you find that you are able to drive larger skis?

I really like the tlt5 performance – but haven’t tried them with bigger skis. I started to tour with narrower skis (i.e. the mustagh ata) due to two reasons: I was prereleasing a lot with wider skis, and I ended up skiing some hard snow on every tour. I did tour some with Black Crows Corvus (196,5), dukes and alpine boots…but the weight peanlty was just too high. I also felt that the downhill skiing just ended too quickly! I like blasting, but not when I have spent hours on the way up…
On the MASL I think the tlt5p is comparable to the zzero4c….haven’t tried it on wider skis. I am more conecerned with overpowering the bindings than the boot.
Since my last comment I have

…got cut of there. Well, since my last comment I have redialed myself into the MASL – still like it. Would love to try the stoke, but I am holding out to see if next years dyanfits are less prone to prereleases on hard surfaces. If not, I guess I will try the Onyx.

Mike – I also tour with the Stoke all winter and love it as a soft snow ski. My concern is the lack of sidecut and I personally don’t think it really handles well in the hard snow. Here is the Sierra, I was thinking about getting a 2nd touring ski, dedicated entirely to spring touring on hardpack and corn. I just don’t think the Stoke will shine in those conditions (but it works great all winter).

I was thinking about the Mustagh AT SL or the Se7en Summits? Why did you feel the Mustagh felt “underwhelming” as compared to the Stokes? For a pure spring touring ski, what do you think about the Mustagh AT AL? Have you had any chance to ski the Se7en Summits (regular version)?

The MASL is great for spring touring. The lack of sidecut is a big plus, as it creates a more predictable ride….but it is also something that makes it less fun on hard pack.
See http://www.youtube.com/chilmersen for videos of spring tours with the masl. The conditions are not that good.
I have skied almost purely on the MASL lately, and it seems it is one of those skis that you just have to ride a lot to like…so, now I love it (again).

Surprising that there is so much interest in these skis… My feeling is that a ski that “takes much getting used to” and is difficult to ski in variable snow, is not my first choice for a spring touring ski. My feeling is that a ski with a more predictable edge hold and solid performance in variable snow will be worth a little bit of extra weight. Skiing in Norway and the Alps this spring, I skied almost exclusively on the DPS Wailer 112rp. Seldom skinning and skiing less than 1000m per day, I found this ski to be perfectly suited to variable snow and was much more enjoyable on the down.

I’m on a pair of Voile Insanes with TLT bindings and Zzero4 boots. I love ’em for pow and variable conditions, but I’m looking for something light and quick that doesn’t chatter so much on harder snow. I’m thinking of something for steeps, ski mountaineering trips, and spring skiing. I’m just under 160# so I don’t think I tend to overpower skis like some larger riders.
Opinions on the MASL for me?

Hi Pat,
Thanks for your comment.
If you are weary of deflection and chatter, I would steer away from the MASL, Manaslu and similar lightweight skis. K2 has several skis that have similar dimensions (albeit with larger shovels and some early rise) that might be better alternatives. I’ve also been intrigued by the Kastle skis, although I’ve not skied them, they look to be quite damp.

The comfort on hard pack, improved a lot when I changed from zzero 4c to tlt5p. Might be because I am more forward mounted now (about 1 cm).

Regarding the interest for this ski: it just won a big touring ski test in Norway (class for sub 90mm) skis. Stoke won the +90mm class. For the conditions I mostly ski in Norway, a longish MASL is a good compromise. It handles breakable crust very well, as the tip doesn’t catch. I think it handles ice well – but it isn’t turny enough to be fun on ice…but feels very secure, and does not twist. For flat approaches less ski width helps – I can almost kick and glide with the tlt5s. As most light skis it has a speed limit…mine is around 75 km/t with the MASL.

I have now tried the tlt5s with Stoke and G3 Manhattan. Works great, but it softer forward than my alpine boot. Side to side and backward it is plenty stiff. One ice/hard pack, where you have to engage the tip a lot it might be a challenge, at least for a straight skis – but that I haven’t tried. The only thing that holds me back is that I am not sure I ski enough powder to buy a wider touring ski….

Great comments, I’m somewhat surprised that it did so well in the Norway test. Seemed like many of the guests I skied with in Norway were into beefier freeride gear. Of course all of the ski and boot preferences come down to taste. I find that for long tours the TLT5p and the MASL is a great light setup, but is best suited for really long tours with less emphasis on downhill performance.

With regard to boot stiffness, this is also a matter of technique and skiing style (within reason). I find the TLT5p’s to be plenty stiff (and could certainly drive my largest touring ski, a 190 dps Wailer 112RP), but the lack of mass really feels somewhat strange. I liken it to an air Jordan with a Carbon Cuff…

Norway is an extremely long country, as you know. The conditions in e.g. Lofoten is very different from e.g. Jotunheimen. I can see that a freeride setup makes sense in Lofoten, as the approach and the ascent is shorter and the conditions more predictable (when you start the tour). Equipment is also influenced by who you ski with – I generally ski with people that are better at the climbing/O2 part, so choosing lighter gear makes sense for me.

Around 105mm under foot seems to be the standard touring ski here. I tried that myself with the coomba (very popular here), and then the Black Crows Corvus 196,5…but the coomba was too soft on anything semi-hard and the corvus just too heavy (x2 my current setup)….